Chuckle Photography

For one week short of a month I toured Peru and Ecuador (more specifically Lima, Cusco, Agua Calientes, Machu Picchu, Quito, and the Galapagos Islands). I have the credit card debt and a few terabytes of digital photos to prove it. I’m working on taming both.

During the three-week sojourn I photographed significant monuments, impressive cathedrals, and interesting wildlife. Then one afternoon during a bano hunt, I passed rotating racks of postcards featuring monuments, cathedrals, and wildlife more significant and impressive and interesting than my shots.

What was the point of snapping low quality scenes? I bought a few postcards from the shop and deleted a few frames from my camera.

While dialing through a few dozen of my photos, I understood that one of my problems, as an amateur photographer, is that I AM an amateur. My shots won’t be postcard quality. Another problem is that photographs of scenery don’t excite me. Photographs of details do- especially funny and ironic details.

That’s when I changed my point of view and my commitment to chuckle photography began. Now I aim my camera with humor hoping to capture images that prompt a smile or coax a chuckle.

In Camera, Off Camera

 I oohed and aahed over the endearing sea lion.

Then laughed out loud at the photographers’ stances.

Through the Blue-footed Booby’s Lens

 

The booby appeared to underscore the warning with a pointed blue-foot.

Take Two

A statue of Pachacuti, the ninth ruler of the Kingdom of Cusco, stood in the Plaza de Armas.

The real action took place below. A free wheeling dog refreshed himself while a schoolboy fashioned a juice box boat, powered by blowing through a straw.

 

Here’s to prompting and coaxing and smiles and chuckles!